


Flash Fics for New Comics - Avengers #33

by msermesth_on_wednesdays (msermesth)



Series: Flash Fics for New Comics [10]
Category: Marvel, Marvel 616
Genre: Avengers Vol. 8 (2018), Kid Fic, M/M, Missing Scene, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24652504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msermesth/pseuds/msermesth_on_wednesdays
Summary: Steve and Tony talk while problems arise with the Followers of Khonshu.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Flash Fics for New Comics [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1123932
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	Flash Fics for New Comics - Avengers #33

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is two weeks late and set during an issue where Steve is only present off screen and Tony doesn't appear at all. _Shrugs._ I do what I want. 
> 
> I don't think Baby Starbrand has a name yet.

Tony steps out of the elevator into the command center of Avengers’ Mountain. Steve’s standing up in the center of the room, his posture stiff and his eyes focused on a satellite image of Wakanda. Over the speakers T’Challa’s voice echoes, “Goodbye, Steven. The Avengers are yours now.”

There’s a click from the microphone on the other end of the conversation and Steve’s shoulders drop. 

“That didn’t sound good,” Tony mutters and steps towards Steve’s side. “Is this related to the thing with Danny?”

Steve nods and flashes Tony a tired smile. “T’Challa doesn’t want us to intervene.” He takes a seat in the chair in front of the control center, the one right next to Baby Starbrand’s crib and flashes the sleeping child a small smile. “He’s concerned they’re coming here soon. We have to protect the little one.”

Reflexively Tony looks again at tiny girl in her crib. The command center was probably not the best place for an infant, but it became the best option after an especially strange mission where Steve stayed behind and provided backup support from her nursery. “It’s a little weird she doesn't have a name,” Tony says as he logs into Stark Unlimited’s Satellite system and searches for T’Challa.

“We’re not her parents,” Steve responds. Tony looks over to seem him skimming over the most recent Avengers’ Mountain security report. 

“I don’t know.” Tony shakes his head. “But it kinda feels like we are.” For the last few months the team had been splitting duties taking care of her; even during Earth-shattering emergencies, one of them always stayed behind to make sure _she_ didn’t become _another_ Earth shattering emergency. Different members of the team have taken to babysitting better than others. Some of them certainly had more time to commit to the task and they each brought something different to it. Thor’s big booming voice sings the best lullabies. She-Hulk is especially talented at making silly faces to distract her. Carol was able to convince Jessica Drew to hand over her used baby equipment.

But it’s Steve who seems the most comfortable with the baby. In his quiet and determined way, he has taken over most of the work that went into keeping her alive. He’s a natural. However, Tony is _not_ a natural. He enjoys the moments he has with her, yet he always feels like he can’t anticipate what’s going to happen next when she’s in his arms. He’s completely unprepared.

Steve’s been quiet. He never responded to Tony.

Tony changes his focus to the screen in front of him where he’s already got a lock on T’Challa’s whereabouts. That’s when Steve speaks up. “This isn’t a very good place for a little girl to grow up.”

Tony shrugs. “Sometimes a family is a Wakandan king, a Hulk, an Asgardian God, a Super Solider, a Ghost Rider, and however you’d describe Carol.”

Steve gives him a confused look; he probably doesn’t get the meme. He says, “You forgot to include an armored genius. You’re a part of her family, too.”

“Eh…” He shrugs Steve off. He’s not sure how to explain his reluctance.

Steve doesn’t push, instead inspecting the surveillance sensors at each known entrance and exit to Avenges’ Mountain. 

They stay like that for a while. It’s not quiet, not really. They type rapidly as they follow Moon Knight’s moves. The screens all around them ping as new information comes up. Their chairs creak as they take turns looking over at Baby Starbrand. Tony’s trying to think of something to say. He’s not entirely sure what he did, but the energy between him and Steve feels weird and he wants it to change back. “Do you remember, back before we disbanded and you invited those kids to stay with us in the Mansion?”

Steve nods. “Of course. Jenny and Martin.”

Tony continues. “And you threatened me with a training simulation that would require me to change diapers?” 

He watches Steve stop typing and smile to himself. “I do remember that.” It looks like it’s a nice memory.

“Any chance you still have that simulation lying around? I think I could use it.” Tony tries to say it as casually as he can, like it’s a joke. A cry for help wrapped in a joke.

Something on the screen to Steve’s left catches his attention but he doesn’t lose the conversion. “You know how to change her diaper,” he tells Tony, his tone only a step below an admonishment. 

Tony turns away from Steve. He doesn’t have to try to look busy--on the ground, things are happening very fast--but he tries to seem a little extra invested in what he’s doing. “Yeah, I do, but I still feel like there’s some knowledge I’m missing.”

“I think you’re doing fine, Tony. She really likes you. You calm her.”

“Yeah, but--”

“I mean it. You’re doing a good job. And I’ve noticed that you’ve been more involved than the rest of the team.” Steve has a way of making something off-hand sound like the final opinion on the matter. It simultaneously makes Tony want to keep arguing and accept the praise.

He quietly says, “I just want her to be ok.”

Steve nods once. “It’s ok if you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. And it’s almost harder here. When I was in Dimension Z, with Ian, I just needed to keep him alive. Now I’ve got to worry about developmental milestones and whether or not she’ll destroy the earth on accident and--”

Tony places a hand on Steve’s shoulder to cut him off. “You’re doing great. You’re keeping this whole crazy idea together. She’s very lucky to have you.” Steve smiles, but he shakes off Tony’s hand and his eyes and scrunched in a way that looks like he’s skeptical of Tony’s words. Tony doesn’t try to get more information out of him. It’s disconcerting to hear Steve worried. 

They go back to work. The followers of Khonshu are much more organized than Tony knew. Still, he can’t stay silent. “Does that mean the Avengers are becoming the Fantastic Four? And you and I are Sue and Reed?

That catches Steve’s attention. “Which one of us is--”

“You’re Sue,” Tony cuts him off to say. “You’re the blond bombshell who’s great at using what looks like a defensive power to kick ass. And I’m the genius lucky enough to be by your side.” Tony’s not even through the second sentence before he realizes that he’s probably said more than he should. It takes a lot of effort to make it look like he’s focusing on anything else besides how Steve’s going to respond. 

It feels like the worst is being confirmed when Steve pauses and gives him a strange look. “I’m not sure Reed would appreciate how you’re talking about his wife.”

Tony’s a little thrown off, he’d expected Steve to push back on Tony’s obvious crush. Or even more likely: to ignore it all together. “ _That’s_ the part of what I said that you’re focused on?”

Steve chuckles and shakes his head. “No, it isn’t.” He sends Tony a shy glance from under his eye lashes. Tony isn’t expecting it to make his heart flutter as much as it does. His mind goes through every stupid joke or observation he could make to move the conversation in a different direction, but nothing clicks. He’s just stuck staring at Steve’s stupid little smile.

The Mountain’s blaring alarm shrikes and wipes Steve’s smile off his chiseled face. On cue, Baby Starbrand wails. Tony turns to look at the digital map he’s been using to track T’Challa. It’s empty--the little dot with his Panther insignia isn’t anywhere on Earth. “He’s gone,” Tony says as soon as the alarm stops vibrating in his head and then he swears at himself for not paying attention. “Where are the others again?” he asks as he rushes to pick her up.

“They should be here soon,” Steve responds but he takes that for the prompt it is and checks the locations on the rest of the Avengers. 

Tony holds the girl on her stomach so she can look down at the ground while he sways from side to side. It’s the quickest way to get her to stop crying. “Who else would they want?” he asks as he swoops a little closer to the floor. She begins to calm down. 

Steve brings up Thor’s communication device and begins talking. “We have a situation. Did you get my message?”

Thor’s voice booms throughout the room. “Aye, Captain. I am on my way to Midgard with all the speed and fury of the storm!” Tony takes a deep breath, and for a second it seems like something is going to go right. Then Thor speaks again.“What...is...that?” 

“What’s going on?” Steve asks with no panic.

“The foul villain. Gods, he is bold. I see him, Captain! He is upon the moon.”

“Can you divert him until we can get a team up there?”

“Nay. I will finish this myself!” 

The communicator cuts out and Steve sighs. He turns to look at Tony and says, “This is getting out of hand, don’t you think?” His eyes linger where Tony’s still bouncing the now relaxed baby girl; the edge of his mouth lifts in a small smile.

Tony smiles back. There is so much they need to do right now to reinforce the Mountain’s defensive systems and no time to pick up the conversation they were having before. 

Maybe that’s good. At some point Tony won’t have any more plausible deniability when it comes to his feelings for Steve. Maintaining that ability to walk away used to feel important, necessary, even. But getting close to crossing the line of no return after all of these years is its own little thrill. One day, maybe soon, circumstance wouldn’t stop them from having this discussion.

Tony shuffles back to his chair and sits gently so that Baby Starbrand stays calm. Steve’s still giving him this strange look. Maybe he’s thinking the same thing as Tony. “I’ll take care of her this time,” Tony tells him. “Let’s get out team members back.”

Steve nods, and they get back to work.

**Author's Note:**

> The mention of Steve's 'diaper changing simulation' comes from Austen's run on the Avengers. It's the only thing you need to know about that run.


End file.
